CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE INTERVIEW
Looking forward Fort Lauderdale is in a strong position after forging ahead during the pandemic, but it’s not resting on its laurels
Dean Trantalis Mayor – City of Fort Lauderdale How is Fort Lauderdale positioned for a rebound? When COVID-19 came into our community, we did not stop the other things we were doing. Infrastructure projects that had been launched continued to move ahead, we did not miss a step. It was even helpful because with few people on the streets and fewer cars, we were able to allow our contractors to carry out drilling and installations when a busier time would have impeded such fast-paced progress. Our infrastructure projects are ahead of schedule and under budget. We are looking for ways to work with the business sector to gauge how we can improve our norms and standards because we do not think that COVID-19 will be the last pandemic we experience in our lifetimes. Shame on us if we should be so unprepared. Our area has had hurricanes for several years now. We know how to anticipate and prepare for them. Today, South Florida has the strongest building codes in the country and the greatest weather forecast capacity nationwide. The same work needs to be done on the pandemic front. Infrastructure is important. What is the role of impact fees in development? Funding our infrastructure needs requires different sources, we cannot just rely on borrowing money through bond issues. We raised the impact fees after 15 years of remaining at the same level because we came to realize the city had significant needs and that developers are able to absorb the impact of these fees and still ensure profits. Profit margins here in South Florida are much larger compared to pre-COVID New York City. The development community is extremely happy with what we are doing in terms of putting up pump stations and replacing old, worn-out pipes, creating a framework for growth. It becomes an imperative for a municipality that looks to continue to encourage growth to maintain a sound and strong infrastructure system. These needs go well beyond
sewers and freshwater pipes to include sidewalks, street lighting and traffic infrastructure in close coordination with the county and adjacent municipalities to figure out solutions for managing traffic. How do you balance economic growth and development with a safe environment for visitors and inhabitants? We realized throughout this pandemic that there needs to be a balance between saving people’s lives and protecting livelihoods. That balance proved to be an experiment because no one has really had experience with dealing with such a pandemic, especially in a community such as ours that has extremely transient factors, with millions of visitors coming here every year, meaning diseases can spread much easier as a result. Fort Lauderdale took a leading role in dealing with the pandemic. www.capitalanalyticsassociates.com
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